Chapter 544: A Game of Old Acquaintances

Chapter 544 -378: A Game of Old Acquaintances

“Damn it, this little guy’s fawning over us like a dog. Is it really a wolf? It has no dignity whatsoever.”

Jin Meiyan, who had caught the entire exchange, laughed. “Dogs were domesticated from wolves, you know. Fundamentally, there’s not much of a difference between them.”

“This little one lost its mother right after birth, and it’s too young to remember. Since it’s been with us every day, it’s probably started to see us as its family.”

“All it has to do is act cute to get food, so of course it doesn’t have to struggle like a wild wolf. I think that’s great. When it gets a bit older, we can have it guard the farm.”

“A wolf for a mascot might even attract a lot of tourists. We should start training it, so it doesn’t accidentally hurt someone later on. That would be bad.”

“Training? Isn’t that easy? Just have Lin Chen cook something tasty. This little glutton is always hungry, right? If it behaves, it gets a treat!”

As if it understood the two women’s conversation, or perhaps it just sensed something, the little wolf pup actually grinned. Its pink tongue lolled way out, making it look just like a Samoyed to the untrained eye.

“Well now, this little fella’s a smart one, huh? Boss Lin, where’d you find it? You don’t think a pack of wolves will come looking for it, do you?”

Another worker, chuckling as he walked past their table, glanced over curiously. He was holding a lunch box piled high with a mountain of food.

Even for men who had been farmers back home, seeing a wild wolf was a rare event, let alone a pup this young. To them, it was as captivating as watching a big game.

‘That’s a wolf! Raising a wolf… just thinking about it is so badass!’

“They won’t. I found it on the island. The mother was already dead, and it was the only survivor in the litter. I’m basically rescuing a wild animal.”

“Boss Lin, the farm’s not even built yet and you’ve already found a wolf. You’re not going to start picking up bears, tigers, and leopards next, are you?”

“I wouldn’t be surprised. Didn’t we hear there are Jaguars on Vancouver Island? Better be careful.”

“That’s right. We should make the outer wire fence higher. A Jaguar’s jumping ability is insane.”

“Just making it higher won’t be enough. We need to add barbs at the top, or it’ll just be a natural climbing wall for them.”

Lin Chen overheard the workers chatting as they ate, and he actually took their conversation to heart.

According to the databank in his mind, Jaguars were indeed present on Vancouver Island—and in no small number. It was just that they were stealthy and typically stayed away from human settlements, so they were rarely spotted.

On top of that, animals like brown bears and Black Bears were even more common. An ordinary person couldn’t hope to confront any of them head-on. The farm’s protective measures had to be comprehensive.

As he thought about this, a profession immediately popped into his mind.

Hunter.

Hunters were the only group legally permitted by the government to hunt wildlife with firearms. Each year, the government would release a limited number of hunting tags for various species during specific seasons.

With a territory this large, not having guns was out of the question. It looked like it was time for him to learn how to shoot and get a hunter’s license.

And not just him—it would be best if every employee on the farm was licensed. That way, they could guarantee their own safety, as well as the safety of their guests, in an emergency.

Thanks to his Basic Throwing Mastery and Basic Bow Mastery, he didn’t need any practice when it came to aiming. He just needed to learn about the firearms themselves. There was no need to waste precious points on another skill with a similar effect.

The three of them cleaned up the stove and utensils before finally sitting down to eat. By then, most of the workers had already finished their meals; only the last few to get food were just starting.

The three of them gathered around a folding table, eating the same style of rice bowls. As they ate, Lin Chen explained his idea.

“Getting a Hunter’s license? Great idea! I’ve wanted to get one for years but was always too lazy. This is the perfect opportunity. Meiyan, you’ve never fired a gun before, have you?”

“Never.”

At the mention of guns, a look of anticipation spread across Jin Meiyan’s pretty face as she began to imagine herself drawing a pistol and firing.

“But there’s one problem. Who do we get to sponsor us?”

Erica frowned, chewing on her spoon in thought. “The Hunter Association isn’t something just anyone can join. You usually need a sponsorship from an active Hunter to even be eligible for the exam.”

“You didn’t meet any Hunters back when you were a forest guide?”

“Of course not. Hunters know the forest better than I ever did. Why would they need me?”

“Er, right.”

“I thought Andre had a hunter’s license? Can’t he sponsor us?”

“He does?”

Lin Chen scratched his head. He realized he’d never actually asked him about that.

“Well, let’s stop guessing and just ask the man himself.”

He immediately gave him a call. The man had just returned to Vancouver for a couple of days to see his wife and kids, so he was free to pick up.

“A Hunter’s license?”

Andre pondered for a moment on the other end of the line. “I had one, but there was a little accident, and I lost the certificate.”

“The Hunter Associations in Canada and the United States have reciprocity. You just have to bring a U.S. certificate over and get it registered in the system. But since I lost mine, I can’t register it. I’d probably have to get a new one.”

“Besides, just having a Hunter’s license isn’t enough. If you want to hunt big game like bears or deer, you also have to hire a specially licensed guide. Otherwise, it’s illegal.”

“It’s that complicated?”

He’d had no idea getting a license involved so many steps. Even worse, the license itself wasn’t enough—you still had to hire a guide.

“Actually, it’s not that complicated. There’s a very simple solution I only thought of a couple of days ago. I forgot to tell you because I was here with Mia.”

Andre usually spent his days roaming the territory alone and was often nowhere to be seen, only showing his face two or three times a week. They barely communicated at all.

However, Andre wasn’t slacking off. Each time he showed up, he would present Lin Chen with his hand-drawn maps and detailed notes on the local flora and fauna. The level of detail was leagues beyond the official survey report they had received earlier.

God only knew how old that report was, and it was impossible to tell if the original surveyors had cut corners. Nature was in constant flux, with significant changes happening every season.

Andre understood this, which was why he’d chosen the simplest, yet most troublesome and time-consuming method: surveying the land by hand.

Besides, he couldn’t help with the construction site, he didn’t know anything about hiring, and there was still a long time until the grand opening—more than enough time for him to cover every inch of the territory on foot.

“What’s the solution?”

“Do you remember Bartel?”

“Bartel?”

Lin Chen paused, feeling the name was vaguely familiar. As he mumbled it to himself, Erica, who was sitting beside him, slapped his arm as if she’d been zapped.

“Bartel the Deer God! Have you forgotten? You met him in Panama! He was that tall Black man who showed up later!”

“Oh, right, right! Now I remember!”

Her reminder made it all click into place for Lin Chen, and a somewhat hazy image of the man surfaced in his mind.

Andre continued, “Bartel’s reputation in the Hunter Association is top-tier. Pretty much every Hunter in North America has heard of him. I heard he’s even the president of a Hunter Association chapter in some city in the United States, but I’m not sure about the specifics.”

“You should definitely consult him. If possible, it’d be best to invite him to be our hunting consultant. He could just be one in name only. Then you could have him send a few veteran Hunters to be stationed here permanently.”

“Once you get him on board, getting a Hunter’s license will be a piece of cake. You won’t have to worry about permits or any of that stuff anymore.”

“Holy shit! That’s a great idea!”

His reminder not only made Lin Chen think of Bartel, but also of another old acquaintance.

Connor the farmer.

‘That guy managed to tame a Coyote and even took it with him. If I could get him to come over and help train this little one… ‘

Erica could probably get Bartel’s contact info. He was a famous figure, after all; with her social circle, she just had to ask around.

Connor, on the other hand, would be trickier. He was just an ordinary farmer in the United States.

‘Looks like it’s time to call an old friend.’

RING… RING…

After a few rings, the call connected.

A middle-aged man’s hearty laughter came through the phone.

“Hey there, Lin! How have you been? I saw some videos online. Looks like things are progressing nicely over there.”

“We’re getting there. The restaurant construction is ninety percent done. We’re working on the interior decorating and furnishings now. The farm is also coming along in parallel. What about you? What have you been up to?”

“What else? I’m on vacation! Filming two seasons back-to-back was way too intense. The next season is at least six months to a year away, so I need to use this time to fatten up a bit.”

“So why the sudden call? Don’t tell me you want to join the next season? Come on, give the newcomers a chance. If you joined, everyone else would probably just drop out.”

“It’s not that dramatic. And no, I’m not going back. Building my own business is the way to go.”

After a bit more small talk with Robert, Lin Chen revealed his true reason for calling.

“You want Connor’s contact information? Hmm… I can’t make that call on my own. It’s a contestant’s private information, after all. We signed NDAs.”

“How about this: I’ll contact him and ask for you. If he agrees, I’ll text you his number. How does that sound?”

“I’d appreciate that, Old Robert. Come visit whenever you’re free. I’ll cook you something amazing.”

“Haha, I was waiting for you to say that! I want to see if your skills are really all they’re cracked up to be. If it’s not delicious, I’m going to go online and flame you!”

Just as he was finishing his call, Erica managed to get Bartel’s contact information. He immediately dialed another number.

Watching the two of them work together so seamlessly, a flash of envy and an almost imperceptible hint of jealousy flickered in Jin Meiyan’s eyes. She reached down and stroked the soft, slightly coarse fur of the wolf pup lying by her feet.

Thankfully, she quickly composed herself and turned to look at the various plants piled up on the grass.

‘This is where I can truly shine!’